In keeping with Eater tradition, our closeout of the year is a survey of friends, industry types and bloggers. To kick it off in Charleston, Eater asked the group eight questions, ranging from the restaurants they frequent most to the biggest surprises of the year. Responses are in no particular order, and readers are encouraged to leave answers in the comments.
Q. Which restaurants, if any, did you break up with this year? Why?
Angela Hanyak, writer and restaurant critic for City Paper:
Butcher & Bee. They use such a heavy hand on fats and seasoning that we've started to call it the highbrow. Gilroy's: it's only good when you're drunk.
Charles Powell, author of Foodmancing The Girl:
In 2013, I broke up with Grill 225. You can only serve me so many overpriced gristle-filled steaks before I will say no thanks to your wet-aged penny pinching and go back to dry-aged beefy goodness.
Jeff Allen, restaurant critic for Charleston Magazine:
Ernie's, may they rest in peace.
Rémy Thurston, Eater Charleston contributor and photographer:
Stars on the weekends. It's just too packed to sit and enjoy a meal. The roof is redeeming though.
Erin Perkins, editor Eater Charleston:
I didn't break up with any restaurants, but I'm not enjoying this long distance relationship with Xiao Bao Biscuit, while the crew is in Asia for three weeks. I'm ready to come crawling back as soon as they open their doors again.
Eric Doksa, writer and restaurant critic for City Paper:
My relationship with The Oyster Room was like a bad speed date. It didn't last very long.
